Five for Friday

Happy Friday Friends! :)

I am linking up with my Five For Friday.

Teacher Appreciation Giveaway!

I have teamed up with five amazing teachers to host a fun Teacher Appreciation Giveaway. 

We are giving away a $30 Gift Card to Target and a $10 Gift Card to TpT. 

You can enter by visiting me on Instagram:

@literacyandlaughter

Go Fish!

My students performed in their Kindergarten musical "Go Fish' last week and were ABSOLUTELY adorable!!

Yum!

I am loving all of the new recipes I have found on Pinterest and made this week: 

 I have to give a shout out to my hard-working handy husband!

He built this gorgeous deck - designed and constructed the whole thing with my son!

Thank you, thank you to all of the parents who helped make Teacher Appreciation Week so special for us. 

Your cards and sweet emails have meant the world to me!

Thank you!

For my teacher friends:

Ways to Teach Students about Alliterations

Every year I can count on our ALLITERATION unit to be a favorite in Writer's Workshop. 

My students LOVE writing these fun tongue twisters.

I am counting down the days until I start this unit with my current kindergarten friends.
 I know they will absolutely love it!!

I love the unit because the students are working on:

 building vocabulary

studying mentor texts

writing with a purpose

letter names and sounds

beginning sound fluency

stretching (beginning, middle, and ending) sounds in words as we write

phonics

capitalization

spaces

punctuation

publishing

and my favorite...

viewing writing as FUN!!!

We read many fun mentor texts.

Each day I select a letter. 

We chant the phonics dance and practice that letter sound - several times. 

We work together to brainstorm a collection of words that begin with that sound. 

Sometimes I use Lakeshore's Alphabet Library:

Other times I draw on an anchor chart as students share words.

We also use these letter sound cards.

They are SUPER helpful for English Language Learners and students who need concrete examples. I print these on card stock and laminate for students to use at their tables.

I model how to start putting those words together to form a sentence - or alliteration with at least 3 words starting with the same sound.

Some days I read several examples in mentor texts.

Other days I use these to kickstart ideas:

I model how to write them:

HAHAHA!

Then give students plenty of time to practice.

Verbally with friends or by writing during workshop time. 

Be prepared for fun... and giggles!

Once they get the hang of it - WOW!

The students always knock my socks off!

Leah and Lauren like lollipops and ladybugs!

Dogs dig for donuts in the dirt.

The robot rattles the raccoon and the rocket.

Lions like lollipops and licorice.

You will be SO excited with their work...

it will call for a celebration.

To get ready for the celebration I create student shout out cards to share the day of the party. :)

The students LOVE LOVE LOVE these!

Parents too!

Give students a special book to work on publishing their favorite alliterations. 

about the author

For the alliteration celebration...

Each student will be bringing a small snack or trinket that begins with the same sound as their first name.

THEY LOVE THIS OF COURSE!!

Of course I use this for an excuse for more writing! 

I have used paper bags for students to collect all of their goodies, but find little buckets are much more durable - and fun!

Only $1 at Party City.

Party City has a ton of fun goodies. 

I couldn't decide on just 1 R item so I gave 

rulers

rubix cubes

and

rings

Check out my Amazing Alliterations on TpT.

Tons of ideas and supplies for your growing writers!!

Here is recent feedback on TpT:

Click {HERE} for the FREE student shout-out cards.

Past posts on alliterations can be found

HERE

or 

HERE

                              

Book Lovers Club = Happy Teacher Heart

Oh my goodness...

I am seriously over the moon with my ADORABLE class!! 

We are off to a great start.

A few years ago I created a Book Lovers Club to get my Kinders excited about books and reading.

It is magical. 

I love meeting with my book lovers throughout the year! We celebrate authors, illustrators, creative choices, great books, reading, sharing our thoughts, predictions, and connections...
and more!!

Today I presented the option of creating a new Book Lovers Club with this crew and their enthusiasm with the idea was UNBELIEVABLE.

Like so unbelievable, that I couldn't even snap a clear picture. 

HA!

It made my teacher heart so happy!!

The students had to sign up and make official membership cards. 

Which we immediately took down and laminated together. Who knew watching the laminator in action would be SO FUN?! 

During free choice, Adelyne decided we needed a Book Lovers Club Poster! :) 

Here are just a few of the book lovers I have spotted this week...  

I am looking forward to so many great reading adventures with my newest members.

HOORAY FOR BOOK LOVERS!! :):)

Teacher friends -

Click {HERE} to see the ways I use the Book Lovers Club in my classroom. 

You can find it on TpT HERE.